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Talia #1
Talia
In the early 1990s the rising popularity of the video cassette gave birth to a seedy, underground world of illicit pornography.
Talia, a Midwest dreamer, leaves home in search of fame under the blinding Broadway lights. But nothing could have prepared her for what she finds instead. Savage violence, bottomless depravity, and no way out.
Talia will unapologetically drag you into the foul underbelly of society. A sanity straining journey, full of hot bloodshed and betrayal.
Talia, a Midwest dreamer, leaves home in search of fame under the blinding Broadway lights. But nothing could have prepared her for what she finds instead. Savage violence, bottomless depravity, and no way out.
Talia will unapologetically drag you into the foul underbelly of society. A sanity straining journey, full of hot bloodshed and betrayal.
165 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 25, 2021
198 people are currently reading
8303 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 670 reviews
November 15, 2021
4.5 STARS
A Midwest girl, dreaming about fame and fortune on Broadway, moves to New York. She’s got the look and the talent, so what can go wrong?
Shame, shaaaaammmeee on you, oh cynical one…
It doesn’t always mean she will be lured into the seedy underbelly of illegal pornography. It does, as it happens, in this story, but you shouldn’t make assumptions. Talia is a good girl, with good morals and purity of heart. It all goes out the window once she gets to N.Y. – she ain’t no fool, either – when she is approached by Mike, a guy offering her an opportunity to make some real money and build a fan base.
Of course, being drawn into pornography is not always the worst thing that can happen, as Talia soon finds out. Mike caters to the very eclectic taste of people with money and weird fetishes. And, with his assistant, Sally, by his side, things become out of control.
Now, I have to explain something. Sally is, in fact, a dude. Which can mean one of three things:
Sally could be gay or transgender – nothing wrong with that, but he isn’t.
Sally could have had a very long and sad school career, where cruel kids teased him relentlessly about having a girl’s name – the odds are against this.
Sally can take care of himself since he is one sick, twisted psychopath who nobody would dare to cross – ding, ding, ding…we have a winner!
Now, if you are into these kind of stories (extreme, in case you are wondering), your mind will tell you Talia will eventually be drawn into snuff films.
Hey! Don’t go jumping the gun and assume you know everything, okay? In this case, it is exactly what happens, but it may just as well have been something completely different…something pure, uplifting, innocent and – okay, I can’t say that with a straight face. What kind of book do you think this is?!
It all may seem fairly straight-forward up to this point and, perhaps, we are only going from A to B in a straight line, but then you get hit in the face with something unexpected, like a pastrami sandwich during a food fight.
And I am not going to tell you what it is.
I’m not going to compare it to a movie, either, because it will give everything away. I can say that the movie became a cult classic and had some controversy.
Volpe, yet again, takes a different direction than his previous two books, and I am really happy to be a witness to this evolution. This is extreme horror from a very talented voice who will make his mark on the genre.
*Originally reviewed at IndieMuse
* https://www.myindiemuse.com/author/mo...
A Midwest girl, dreaming about fame and fortune on Broadway, moves to New York. She’s got the look and the talent, so what can go wrong?
Shame, shaaaaammmeee on you, oh cynical one…
It doesn’t always mean she will be lured into the seedy underbelly of illegal pornography. It does, as it happens, in this story, but you shouldn’t make assumptions. Talia is a good girl, with good morals and purity of heart. It all goes out the window once she gets to N.Y. – she ain’t no fool, either – when she is approached by Mike, a guy offering her an opportunity to make some real money and build a fan base.
Of course, being drawn into pornography is not always the worst thing that can happen, as Talia soon finds out. Mike caters to the very eclectic taste of people with money and weird fetishes. And, with his assistant, Sally, by his side, things become out of control.
Now, I have to explain something. Sally is, in fact, a dude. Which can mean one of three things:
Sally could be gay or transgender – nothing wrong with that, but he isn’t.
Sally could have had a very long and sad school career, where cruel kids teased him relentlessly about having a girl’s name – the odds are against this.
Sally can take care of himself since he is one sick, twisted psychopath who nobody would dare to cross – ding, ding, ding…we have a winner!
Now, if you are into these kind of stories (extreme, in case you are wondering), your mind will tell you Talia will eventually be drawn into snuff films.
Hey! Don’t go jumping the gun and assume you know everything, okay? In this case, it is exactly what happens, but it may just as well have been something completely different…something pure, uplifting, innocent and – okay, I can’t say that with a straight face. What kind of book do you think this is?!
It all may seem fairly straight-forward up to this point and, perhaps, we are only going from A to B in a straight line, but then you get hit in the face with something unexpected, like a pastrami sandwich during a food fight.
And I am not going to tell you what it is.
I’m not going to compare it to a movie, either, because it will give everything away. I can say that the movie became a cult classic and had some controversy.
Volpe, yet again, takes a different direction than his previous two books, and I am really happy to be a witness to this evolution. This is extreme horror from a very talented voice who will make his mark on the genre.
*Originally reviewed at IndieMuse
* https://www.myindiemuse.com/author/mo...
April 14, 2022
It is tough being honest about a book you absolutely hated, especially one as seemingly beloved as this. I’ll admit, this is one of those situations where I just keep thinking back to that old adage, one that often feels unnecessarily mean and veering into snobbery, but which I most definitely felt to my core on this occasion: “Did I read the same book everyone else did?”
I see a lot of deflections of the criticism around this book centering mostly around the content. “If you don’t like hyperviolence, don’t read it!” “Woke culture gone too far!” “You sensitive snowflakes wouldn’t get it!” I’m here to tell you: You can literally sell me a book about a baby being sawed in half while the perpetrator sings “Old McDonald,” and I’d probably find something of value in it, so long as the vehicle in which such a story is being delivered is competent enough. The subject matter of Talia didn’t bother me at all. In fact, it was probably the most redeemable quality in my eyes. Porn actress being pulled into a world of murder and torture? Take my money!
This book simply isn’t well-written. I know that statement resounds with obtuseness. Perhaps you are thinking I’m lacking in self-awareness over my own subjectivity. That may very well be. However, I do believe that, in an objective sense (as objective as one may get regarding the technique of writing), the construction of this work is very flawed. There are mechanical qualities that we can objectively gauge the value and quality of, and look: I graded college papers for a living for a while. I think I know a bit of what I’m saying. The grammar, the syntax, and the narrative thread of this book are atrocious. Wrong word choices and spelling mistakes abound. Run-on sentences just flow clumsily and unrevised. Read the following sentence:
“Talia looked at the folded razor like it was evil, because it was.”
Awkward descriptions and sentence structure like that abound throughout.
There’s another instance where someone picks up “a long stick with a leather rectangle at the end.” It’s a riding crop! Just say riding crop! Clearly, the author couldn’t be bothered to look up what the name of this object is.
A character getting a “sneak peek”? Nope, they’re getting a “sneak peak.”
Etc. Etc.
Now, I understand the enjoyment of a book is subjective, and how one chooses to focus on or ignore grammar mistakes is subjective as well, and clearly, given all the positive reviews of this book, I’m in the minority here. However, this was my experience reading Talia: The syntax, so tattered and broken, starts to hemorrhage into laughable descriptions, a nonsensical, derivative, repetitive plot progression, and characters that feel repulsively cartoonish in their villainy and heroism, empty in their resolve, and completely inadequate for delivering the emotional resonance that a revenge story requires. I honestly feel like I put more effort into editing this review than the author did editing his book.
The one positive I can say is that Talia has truly taught me that even when you think a book is objectively bad, I guess it really isn’t. I am humbled by this experience. This title has truly eroded my convictions in the value of and effective techniques behind criticism and reviewing. Nothing matters. Artistic appreciation is a cacophony of shapeless voices. Have a beautiful day.
I see a lot of deflections of the criticism around this book centering mostly around the content. “If you don’t like hyperviolence, don’t read it!” “Woke culture gone too far!” “You sensitive snowflakes wouldn’t get it!” I’m here to tell you: You can literally sell me a book about a baby being sawed in half while the perpetrator sings “Old McDonald,” and I’d probably find something of value in it, so long as the vehicle in which such a story is being delivered is competent enough. The subject matter of Talia didn’t bother me at all. In fact, it was probably the most redeemable quality in my eyes. Porn actress being pulled into a world of murder and torture? Take my money!
This book simply isn’t well-written. I know that statement resounds with obtuseness. Perhaps you are thinking I’m lacking in self-awareness over my own subjectivity. That may very well be. However, I do believe that, in an objective sense (as objective as one may get regarding the technique of writing), the construction of this work is very flawed. There are mechanical qualities that we can objectively gauge the value and quality of, and look: I graded college papers for a living for a while. I think I know a bit of what I’m saying. The grammar, the syntax, and the narrative thread of this book are atrocious. Wrong word choices and spelling mistakes abound. Run-on sentences just flow clumsily and unrevised. Read the following sentence:
“Talia looked at the folded razor like it was evil, because it was.”
Awkward descriptions and sentence structure like that abound throughout.
There’s another instance where someone picks up “a long stick with a leather rectangle at the end.” It’s a riding crop! Just say riding crop! Clearly, the author couldn’t be bothered to look up what the name of this object is.
A character getting a “sneak peek”? Nope, they’re getting a “sneak peak.”
Etc. Etc.
Now, I understand the enjoyment of a book is subjective, and how one chooses to focus on or ignore grammar mistakes is subjective as well, and clearly, given all the positive reviews of this book, I’m in the minority here. However, this was my experience reading Talia: The syntax, so tattered and broken, starts to hemorrhage into laughable descriptions, a nonsensical, derivative, repetitive plot progression, and characters that feel repulsively cartoonish in their villainy and heroism, empty in their resolve, and completely inadequate for delivering the emotional resonance that a revenge story requires. I honestly feel like I put more effort into editing this review than the author did editing his book.
The one positive I can say is that Talia has truly taught me that even when you think a book is objectively bad, I guess it really isn’t. I am humbled by this experience. This title has truly eroded my convictions in the value of and effective techniques behind criticism and reviewing. Nothing matters. Artistic appreciation is a cacophony of shapeless voices. Have a beautiful day.
August 28, 2022
This time the author leads us into the obscure world of snuff porn movies where extreme actions (nasty scenes believe me) take place. Talia, a girl from the country, acts in those movies. She doesn't mind sex but when violence enters she plans to back away. Mike, her boss and Sally, his psychopathic right hand (loves to have sex with "cold cunts") try to prevent this. Will Talia survive? Can she get revenge for a vanished colleague (Simone) and herself? This is a rather extreme splatter horror novel with too many disgusting scenes and sick ideas. I love porn in horror and have nothing against Laymon like observations (breasts) or some screwing but this one was a bit of a touch too much. The author revels in violence, cutting and fluids but this went a bit monotonous in my opinion. Otherwise storytelling and characters are fine. Recommended to those who like more extreme porn oriented horror.
January 31, 2023
This is a fast-paced extreme horror novel filled with gore, sex, depravity and the conclusion is more gore-soaked violence and a character's comeuppance that was a delight to read.
Volpe is a talented writer and can create memorable characters, especially Talia. I liked her and it would be great to see her in a sequel.
If you've got a strong stomach and like extreme horror, this is definitely for you!
Volpe is a talented writer and can create memorable characters, especially Talia. I liked her and it would be great to see her in a sequel.
If you've got a strong stomach and like extreme horror, this is definitely for you!
January 30, 2025
This prequel to Billy Silver did not disappoint! So this, much like it’s predecessor, is extremely sexual and violent. The crazy thing is that it seemed sort of tame, as I’m fresh off Kristopher Triana’s Body Art, which is another level of ugliness, along a comparable premise to Talia. But that is absolutely not a put down, as Triana’s books make me queasy at times. He’s one of the best writers that I’ve ever seen, but his stories can sometimes be a bit too extreme for their own good. However, Talia had just enough gore for what was needed. Sometimes the art of subtlety is more effective than just putting it all out there. Volpe did an excellent job painting Talia’s character, and her descent into something otherworldly. It made me fully appreciate her presence in Billy Silver, and make me want to see more of her in future installments. There could be a lot more lore here and need for Talia to punish those who are dabbling in various sins and misdeeds. She’s just a very enticing character that could carry a book series without issue. I usually save this slogan for my Friday night movie reviews on my social media pages, but this one is definitely ‘Topsider approved!’
January 25, 2022
A slice of karma!!
This was one hell of a ride! EXTREMELY brutal and savage from beginning to end, finishing with a hefty ‘slice’ of karma. No, this definitely isn’t a book for the weak stomached or faint hearted, and your eyes may wish they hadn’t seen the acts described in this book. Daniel Volpe is pure genius, and I for one, am becoming a huge fan!!
This was one hell of a ride! EXTREMELY brutal and savage from beginning to end, finishing with a hefty ‘slice’ of karma. No, this definitely isn’t a book for the weak stomached or faint hearted, and your eyes may wish they hadn’t seen the acts described in this book. Daniel Volpe is pure genius, and I for one, am becoming a huge fan!!
October 9, 2021
A solid 4.5 but I'm rounding up because it's horrortober! Not for the faint of heart, Talia is a no holds barred look at the underground porn scene when VHS was king. Haven't had a book punch me between the eyes like this in a long time. Whatever you do, don't cross Talia!
April 27, 2023
While Talia delivers on gore and taboo, I'm not sure if it says more about me or the book that I was unfazed by even the worst of it. The writing and editing are filled with grammatical and continuity errors, and Talia's conversion from a wide-eyed young girl to a demonic vengeance-seeker was so abrupt it made no sense at all, but the most irritating part of this reading experience was how heavily the book relied on rape and descriptions of female bodies. If I had to read one more description of Talia's breasts or her "powder dry" hands, I was going to scream.
There's also something to be said for the lazy offensiveness of the tall, thick-bodied European woman as a villain, or the fact that one side character, whose only personality trait was a severe cocaine dependency, was referred to as "the light-skinned one" so many times in such few pages. Truly, I could go on for a while about the depictions of women in this book.
I feel like the author was probably going for a rape revenge fantasy along the lines of I Spit On Your Grave, etc., but unfortunately, it fell flat in every possible way. The only reason I'm giving this 2 stars instead of 1 is that some of the violence was pretty imaginative, but I don't see myself recommending this book, continuing the series, or reading anything else of Volpe's.
✨ Representation: Talia is described as bisexual (though, in one scene with another woman, describes herself as "not gay" and seems baffled by women being attracted to one another); Ingrid is queer
✨ Content warnings for:
———
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There's also something to be said for the lazy offensiveness of the tall, thick-bodied European woman as a villain, or the fact that one side character, whose only personality trait was a severe cocaine dependency, was referred to as "the light-skinned one" so many times in such few pages. Truly, I could go on for a while about the depictions of women in this book.
I feel like the author was probably going for a rape revenge fantasy along the lines of I Spit On Your Grave, etc., but unfortunately, it fell flat in every possible way. The only reason I'm giving this 2 stars instead of 1 is that some of the violence was pretty imaginative, but I don't see myself recommending this book, continuing the series, or reading anything else of Volpe's.
✨ Representation: Talia is described as bisexual (though, in one scene with another woman, describes herself as "not gay" and seems baffled by women being attracted to one another); Ingrid is queer
✨ Content warnings for:
———
twitter | booktok | bookstagram | blog
April 29, 2021
The story of Talia, the mysterious woman who was introduced in the author's book 'Billy Silver.' We learn of Talia's early days as an aspiring actress, and the experiences she had to tolerate to get into film. Her story is a difficult one, and she endures hardship, pain and lies. The film industry is full of violence, sex and extreme gore, not the flashy finesse that Talia had hoped for. Driven to the edge of survival, she finds the meaning of revenge in the depths of darkness and flames. The ramifications are exquisite. Cheers to Daniel Volpe and his prime creation. I hope to read more about Talia sometime soon.
May 18, 2021
'When Tali met Sally - a case of sweet revenge!'
A really enjoyable dark and quite unique extreme horror story that proved 'grossly' captivating from beginning to end.
'Talia - from porn goddess to demonic princess - a star is born!'
Expect all of the following wrapped around a clever and well structured story line - violence, blood, guts, gore, death, sex, porn, filth, snuff, necrophilia and all given a wee twist and touch of some shady mobster, gang activity.
And all done in the best possible 'taste'...well, almost!'
Highly recommended for all lovers of the crazy mad escapism of the above.
Rating: 4.6 Blood-soaked, red stars
A really enjoyable dark and quite unique extreme horror story that proved 'grossly' captivating from beginning to end.
'Talia - from porn goddess to demonic princess - a star is born!'
Expect all of the following wrapped around a clever and well structured story line - violence, blood, guts, gore, death, sex, porn, filth, snuff, necrophilia and all given a wee twist and touch of some shady mobster, gang activity.
And all done in the best possible 'taste'...well, almost!'
Highly recommended for all lovers of the crazy mad escapism of the above.
Rating: 4.6 Blood-soaked, red stars
April 29, 2021
Are you hooked on horror? A junkie like me? Would you trade two double cheeseburgers for your next fix? Me too friend, me fucking too.
The newest good shit to hit these indie horror streets is Volpe. And this is the reeeeeeal good shit. Uncut, potent, tasty and straight from the cook himself, DJMFV.
I started by snorting my Volpe, A fat bag of Billy Silver, after one line, I just knew, I was hooked. But, hey, no problem, I’m a professional junkie, I can handle my fucking shit.
Then, chasing that dragon, I started smoking the Volpe, and Awakened in Blood fucking kicked my fat ass. What a fucking horror buzz JESUS CHRIST ALMIGHTY! And the high lasts and lasts, great value for the money, seriously!
But now, I’ve gone intravenous with the Volpe, and I’ve injected myself with his newest batch... “Talia”. OH FUCKING FUCK!! I advise serious caution while ingesting any amount of Volpe, but really take it easy. This new blend of underground mafioso porn, revenge horror and (redacted) is almost too much to handle. Almost. Remember, they don’t make NARCAN for Volpe, easy fucking does it. I finished the whole bag in one night! (Do no try this at home) (No, do try 😬)
So, if you’re willing to trade cheeseburgers for your next fat hit of Volpe, take it easy, I mean it! Or you’ll end up like me, after Talia, you’ll even suck that (redacted) for the next DJMFV hook-up.
Talia by DJMFV
5 Skulls ☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️
#NecroDaveForever #horrorbook #godless #godlesshorror #splatterpunk #uncensored #grindhouse #fuckyes #danieljvolpe #DJMFV
The newest good shit to hit these indie horror streets is Volpe. And this is the reeeeeeal good shit. Uncut, potent, tasty and straight from the cook himself, DJMFV.
I started by snorting my Volpe, A fat bag of Billy Silver, after one line, I just knew, I was hooked. But, hey, no problem, I’m a professional junkie, I can handle my fucking shit.
Then, chasing that dragon, I started smoking the Volpe, and Awakened in Blood fucking kicked my fat ass. What a fucking horror buzz JESUS CHRIST ALMIGHTY! And the high lasts and lasts, great value for the money, seriously!
But now, I’ve gone intravenous with the Volpe, and I’ve injected myself with his newest batch... “Talia”. OH FUCKING FUCK!! I advise serious caution while ingesting any amount of Volpe, but really take it easy. This new blend of underground mafioso porn, revenge horror and (redacted) is almost too much to handle. Almost. Remember, they don’t make NARCAN for Volpe, easy fucking does it. I finished the whole bag in one night! (Do no try this at home) (No, do try 😬)
So, if you’re willing to trade cheeseburgers for your next fat hit of Volpe, take it easy, I mean it! Or you’ll end up like me, after Talia, you’ll even suck that (redacted) for the next DJMFV hook-up.
Talia by DJMFV
5 Skulls ☠️☠️☠️☠️☠️
#NecroDaveForever #horrorbook #godless #godlesshorror #splatterpunk #uncensored #grindhouse #fuckyes #danieljvolpe #DJMFV
May 4, 2021
Daniel takes us on a wild ride with Talia from Danny Silver fame, and she’s one hell of a girl. With some of the best gore in the business and a plot that kept the pages turning, Talia is a splatter hit.
May 13, 2021
Bloody, brutal, and brilliant! Talia kicked all the ass. Superb writing from the one and only DJV. I was already a fan, but now, I'm a super fan. Highly recommend
January 25, 2023
Absolutely brutal! Think John Wick but way more messed up and with a supernatural spin.
'The force partially decapitated him, ripping his neck open to make him look like a macabre Pez dispenser.'
This was my first time reading Daniel J. Volpe and it was an enjoyable and intense experience to say the least. This is not a book for the faint of heart.
A tale of extreme depraved sexual acts, violence and a big old serving of brutal revenge.
I think that is all I need to say, you'll just have to read to find out more.
'With just the dim overhead light, the razor looked alive, like a sentient being. Gently, she touched the cool scales on the handle. It didn’t feel gross and repulsive like she’d pictured; it was warm and welcoming.'
'The force partially decapitated him, ripping his neck open to make him look like a macabre Pez dispenser.'
This was my first time reading Daniel J. Volpe and it was an enjoyable and intense experience to say the least. This is not a book for the faint of heart.
A tale of extreme depraved sexual acts, violence and a big old serving of brutal revenge.
I think that is all I need to say, you'll just have to read to find out more.
'With just the dim overhead light, the razor looked alive, like a sentient being. Gently, she touched the cool scales on the handle. It didn’t feel gross and repulsive like she’d pictured; it was warm and welcoming.'
April 27, 2021
Straight of the bat the depravity starts I'm telling you the very first sentence will hook you in.
I loved this origin story of Talia who we first met in Billy Silver. She truly is a bad a$$ total girl crush material. Revenge as dished out in form of blood gore and even more blood.
I kinda also loved Sally and I'm really hoping Daniel writes a Sally story he was just so cold and twisted. I mean he had a very errrmmm delicate lady part wrapped up like deli meat how could I not love him a little lol
This has been by far my favourite DV book so far.
May 3, 2021
And Daniel does it again!! It was great to get Talias back story after her appearance in Billy Silver (another awesome book by Daniel Volpe) This book was sexy, horrific, brutal and vengeful. I loved it, and I love Talia! I think we need to see more of her!! 🖤
January 22, 2024
A book from which the youth has a lot to learn.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2021
I loved this book so much! I was totally intrigued by Talia in the book Billy Silver and started this one with enthusiasm. It did not disappoint! The beginning was good but after things take a turn the book becomes epic with blood and revenge. I freaking love Talia and what Daniel Volpe did with this book! 5/5 red eyed skulls 💀
May 1, 2021
I can't get enough of Daniel Volpe's books. I love how each of his novels have been different. I love his style. I was one of the first to leave a review of Billy Silver. Billy Silver got me hooked. I anticipated this release for so long, and it was well worth the wait. Talia is extreme. I'm a seasoned Horror reader, and this made me uncomfortable in some parts. I don't wanna spoil it. Talia is a great character. Some of these characters are vile people that do some sick shit. The Ending is great.
November 6, 2021
Holy shit... Well that was just fucking bad ass blood soaked brutality. Daniel Volpe you are just a crazy good writer man. I feel like I've been caught sleeping and should've read all your stuff faster than I have. Damn man first of all Talia is one bad bitch, but that Sally character was the one that creeped me out the most I mean what's his fucking story I really want to know..... This was just a damn good book and my favorite by Daniel Volpe so far outta my binge. I don't know what else to say except if you haven't read this you should.... Now onto A gift of death
June 26, 2021
Blood Makes the Best Lube!
Just when I thought Daniel couldn’t possibly blow my mind any further, or surprise me he delivers Talia! Volpe is honing his skills, and is quickly becoming razor sharp!
Billy Silver was kick ass, Awakened in Blood was bad ass, but Talia is a new ball game of fucking awesomeness!
This book has so many things happening that I didn’t expect, and I really do not have any qualms whatsoever. This Splatterpunk origin story has to be one of, if not the best origin story I’ve had the pleasure to read.
Shedding light on the mysterious character featured in Billy Silver, Talia is a fabulous leading character. Going through so many life changes to where she ends up is a wild ride, and she is a hell of a force to be reckoned with!
Blood makes the best lube, and Talia delivers enough of it to supply your needs for the unseen future! All I can say is that I would love to see more of this character in future works, or even shorts, or featured in stories. Daniel J. Volpe just keeps getting better like a fine wine with age. I couldn’t put this down even though I am exhausted. I was thrown down the rabbit hole, and could not climb out. Talia will leave you craving more gore, violence, and revenge! The ending will leave you speechless!
Just when I thought Daniel couldn’t possibly blow my mind any further, or surprise me he delivers Talia! Volpe is honing his skills, and is quickly becoming razor sharp!
Billy Silver was kick ass, Awakened in Blood was bad ass, but Talia is a new ball game of fucking awesomeness!
This book has so many things happening that I didn’t expect, and I really do not have any qualms whatsoever. This Splatterpunk origin story has to be one of, if not the best origin story I’ve had the pleasure to read.
Shedding light on the mysterious character featured in Billy Silver, Talia is a fabulous leading character. Going through so many life changes to where she ends up is a wild ride, and she is a hell of a force to be reckoned with!
Blood makes the best lube, and Talia delivers enough of it to supply your needs for the unseen future! All I can say is that I would love to see more of this character in future works, or even shorts, or featured in stories. Daniel J. Volpe just keeps getting better like a fine wine with age. I couldn’t put this down even though I am exhausted. I was thrown down the rabbit hole, and could not climb out. Talia will leave you craving more gore, violence, and revenge! The ending will leave you speechless!
May 3, 2021
Another great, twisted, brutal, and sexy story by this author. Loved getting to know the main character Talia, and how she became the person she turns out to be in Billy Silver. Great writing with an awesome storyline.
Revenge is sweet... and sometimes bloody and brutal.
Revenge is sweet... and sometimes bloody and brutal.
May 6, 2021
Damn, Volpe hit it out of the park with this one. His best yet.
April 20, 2022
Bleak, disturbing, uncomfortable and hopeless are all words that come to mind to describe TALIA by Daniel J. Volpe. Wet is another.
This is my second go around with Volpe's work and like it's predecessor, TALIA, delivers on vivid and dirty extreme situations like BILLY SILVER before it. I'm forced to wander if Volpe hasn't had extensive experience in things like contract killing, racketeering and film making of the urban legend variety. Either that or the author has one sick imagination. Let's hope for our sake, it's the latter.
Extremely aspects aside, the real victory of TALIA is that it makes the reader powerless. There is no escape. It only gets worse. I've only felt that reading one other book, Ketchum's THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.
Get the shower ready. You're going to need a long, hot onecafter reading TALIA.
This is my second go around with Volpe's work and like it's predecessor, TALIA, delivers on vivid and dirty extreme situations like BILLY SILVER before it. I'm forced to wander if Volpe hasn't had extensive experience in things like contract killing, racketeering and film making of the urban legend variety. Either that or the author has one sick imagination. Let's hope for our sake, it's the latter.
Extremely aspects aside, the real victory of TALIA is that it makes the reader powerless. There is no escape. It only gets worse. I've only felt that reading one other book, Ketchum's THE GIRL NEXT DOOR.
Get the shower ready. You're going to need a long, hot onecafter reading TALIA.
May 11, 2021
4.5 Stars
At the end of the review I left for Volpe's Billy Silver I stated
" I certainly will be reading more by this author" and then a few months later 'Talia' was released.
Talia was the mysterious trainee tattoo artist in Billy Silver who seemingly now had a book dedicated to her. Curious to learn her story I bagged a copy quickly and was not disappointed.
Talia whilst on Broadway searching for her dream acting job gets caught up in a life of the most horrific, brutal, murderous pornography featuring lots of blood, body parts & waste. She's scared for her life and feels there is no way out from the sadistic perverted people she is been abused & controlled by.
Driven to the very edge of her limit is where she finds the means to obtain her revenge & a perfectly fitting torturous revenge at that!.
The violence is savage, the depravity bottomless and the sex, graphic.
Plenty of shocking moments that hook you in and don't churn you out to the end. I read the whole thing in one gulp and the climax was spot on.
Four and a half splatter stars from me, I can't help thinking there could be more and it gets even better!.
At the end of the review I left for Volpe's Billy Silver I stated
" I certainly will be reading more by this author" and then a few months later 'Talia' was released.
Talia was the mysterious trainee tattoo artist in Billy Silver who seemingly now had a book dedicated to her. Curious to learn her story I bagged a copy quickly and was not disappointed.
Talia whilst on Broadway searching for her dream acting job gets caught up in a life of the most horrific, brutal, murderous pornography featuring lots of blood, body parts & waste. She's scared for her life and feels there is no way out from the sadistic perverted people she is been abused & controlled by.
Driven to the very edge of her limit is where she finds the means to obtain her revenge & a perfectly fitting torturous revenge at that!.
The violence is savage, the depravity bottomless and the sex, graphic.
Plenty of shocking moments that hook you in and don't churn you out to the end. I read the whole thing in one gulp and the climax was spot on.
Four and a half splatter stars from me, I can't help thinking there could be more and it gets even better!.
August 9, 2021
Talia, Talia, Talia…
There isn’t anything that I can say other readers haven’t echoed. At what on the surface may initially appear like simple splatter-porn — this most certainly is not. Daniel J. Volpe weaves a far more intricate web of darkness and depravity. With rich characters filled with depth and history - you just know Volpe raised each little hellion from that glimmer of conception in his head through their entire life experience and beyond. Each of his characters has their own stories to tell and could merit the lead role, but in this, it’s the captivating Talia wielding the whip. And you’ll never forget it.
I’ve consumed a fair amount of material this year, predominately from the indie horror market — this is one of my top reads of the year. Billy Silver has been on my ever-growing TBR pile for a little while, after experiencing Talia (with that opening, I could not put it down!) I’ll be hitting up Billy very soon.
Watch this one - I can barely wait to see what Volpe creates next!
There isn’t anything that I can say other readers haven’t echoed. At what on the surface may initially appear like simple splatter-porn — this most certainly is not. Daniel J. Volpe weaves a far more intricate web of darkness and depravity. With rich characters filled with depth and history - you just know Volpe raised each little hellion from that glimmer of conception in his head through their entire life experience and beyond. Each of his characters has their own stories to tell and could merit the lead role, but in this, it’s the captivating Talia wielding the whip. And you’ll never forget it.
I’ve consumed a fair amount of material this year, predominately from the indie horror market — this is one of my top reads of the year. Billy Silver has been on my ever-growing TBR pile for a little while, after experiencing Talia (with that opening, I could not put it down!) I’ll be hitting up Billy very soon.
Watch this one - I can barely wait to see what Volpe creates next!
August 28, 2021
Gorry but fun!
After reading Billy Silver and and getting a taste of Talia's character, I knew I wanted to read Daniel's next book which takes us more into Talia's world, and oh boy, what a world it is. Not for the squeamish, this book has serious gore. Make sure you read it on an empty stomach. A great, fast paced read that you can really sink your teeth into, and will leave you hungry for more.
After reading Billy Silver and and getting a taste of Talia's character, I knew I wanted to read Daniel's next book which takes us more into Talia's world, and oh boy, what a world it is. Not for the squeamish, this book has serious gore. Make sure you read it on an empty stomach. A great, fast paced read that you can really sink your teeth into, and will leave you hungry for more.
May 1, 2021
Great prequel to BILLY SILVER, but more importantly an excellent revenge tale in its own right. Visceral, violent and sometimes genuinely upsetting. Dare I say, better than its much-lauded predecessor. Nice job, Daniel!
July 30, 2021
More more more!!! I loved 🥰 the talia character. Very brutal book. Gore gore and more gore. I hope this sets up for a book 3. Volpe doesn’t disappoint
March 26, 2022
When extreme horror is done well, there's nothing quite like the way it burrows into your brain and twists your guts. It forces you to stare the grimness of humanity in the eye, to contemplate the capacity for destruction and savagery and rage that lies within all of us.
Based on the glowing reviews, I thought maybe Talia would be one of the rare gems that makes wading through the piles of poorly crafted dreck worthwhile.
More shame on me for getting my hopes up. Maybe it's time to admit that, with a few exceptions, this genre just isn't for me?
I understand what I'm getting myself into with extreme horror. Misogyny, nastiness, cruelty and graphic violence... those themes (and the potential to see them explored with skill) are a big part of what draws me back to this genre, again and again, despite the fact that most of it ends up disappointing me.
If you're just after graphic gore, rape and murder stapled onto a paint-by-numbers plot, you might have a fun time with this! Personally, I'm only interested in these stories when the characters are recognisable as human beings. How stunning to read reviews that refer to the title character as compelling and likable. How can you feel anything for this cipher? Are you, by any chance, a sentient pair of perky tits? I found it difficult to discern any personality aside from wildly variable gullibility that fluctuated depending on the requirements of the plot. I ended the book with barely more knowledge about her than when it began. I did learn a lot about how hot she was though. Her ass is tight. Her skin is milky and clear (without makeup, of course). She is a horny, blood-soaked mannequin.
The other characters are just as hollow. The gals you're meant to sympathise with are petite and sport the aforementioned perky tits. The female villain is a strong, "doughy" German named Ingrid (yes, seriously). The bad men? Italian mobsters (what else do you expect in big bad New Yawwwwwk?!)
The gore itself is fine. Rubbery nipples bitten off. "Stinking" bowels eviscerated and emptied. Flesh that "tears like paper". If you've got any experience with splatterpunk, you'll be familiar.
But honestly, if the people experiencing these horrors don't seem real, who gives a shit?
Based on the glowing reviews, I thought maybe Talia would be one of the rare gems that makes wading through the piles of poorly crafted dreck worthwhile.
More shame on me for getting my hopes up. Maybe it's time to admit that, with a few exceptions, this genre just isn't for me?
I understand what I'm getting myself into with extreme horror. Misogyny, nastiness, cruelty and graphic violence... those themes (and the potential to see them explored with skill) are a big part of what draws me back to this genre, again and again, despite the fact that most of it ends up disappointing me.
If you're just after graphic gore, rape and murder stapled onto a paint-by-numbers plot, you might have a fun time with this! Personally, I'm only interested in these stories when the characters are recognisable as human beings. How stunning to read reviews that refer to the title character as compelling and likable. How can you feel anything for this cipher? Are you, by any chance, a sentient pair of perky tits? I found it difficult to discern any personality aside from wildly variable gullibility that fluctuated depending on the requirements of the plot. I ended the book with barely more knowledge about her than when it began. I did learn a lot about how hot she was though. Her ass is tight. Her skin is milky and clear (without makeup, of course). She is a horny, blood-soaked mannequin.
The other characters are just as hollow. The gals you're meant to sympathise with are petite and sport the aforementioned perky tits. The female villain is a strong, "doughy" German named Ingrid (yes, seriously). The bad men? Italian mobsters (what else do you expect in big bad New Yawwwwwk?!)
The gore itself is fine. Rubbery nipples bitten off. "Stinking" bowels eviscerated and emptied. Flesh that "tears like paper". If you've got any experience with splatterpunk, you'll be familiar.
But honestly, if the people experiencing these horrors don't seem real, who gives a shit?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 670 reviews